The phantom moved with incredible speed. Wherever it passed, the ground froze, and the air seemed to solidify. Within a ten-yard radius, everything felt trapped in a unique space where objects appeared frozen.George suddenly felt a chill and a sense of impending danger. He didn't dare to be reckless and immediately gathered all his energy to punch the phantom.His punch struck out with the force of thunder, which was incredibly fast. As soon as his fist struck out, a red fist shadow as hot as a flame shot out and hit the phantom.Contrary to George's expectations, the red fist shadow didn't hit the phantom. Instead, it passed through without resistance, as if hitting thin air."Huh?" His eyes widened in surprise. He had never encountered such a strange technique that could disregard his energy. What on earth was that phantom?George shook his shoulders, and his muscles tensed instantly. A red glow enveloped his tanned skin and formed a protective layer.With his physical strengt
"What the hell happened to George? He was defeated by the phantom without putting up a fight. What a disgrace!" Bill scowled at the battered George in the battle ring.Everyone said George was strong and had incredible physical power. Yet, he couldn't even handle a weak martial artist from Dragonmarsh. What a joke!"There's something off about that Dragonmarsh martial artist," Jeremiah said earnestly.He continued, "His attacks are extraordinary. They bypass physical defenses and protective barriers to strike the target's soul. Unfortunately, that is Mr. Burroughs' weak spot."They had expected George to win easily, but he met his nemesis, and the situation looked grim."Soul-targeting attacks? Isn't that similar to vampires' mind control?" Bill said indifferently.He went on, "It may seem impressive, but it's only effective against those with weak mental strength. It's useless against a strong opponent."The problem is George's mental strength is so weak that he's even worse of
Jermaine was dead. His death caught everyone off guard, especially since they were confident he would win when he used the Phantom Reaper technique. After all, the technique was a long-lost secret technique that was renowned two centuries ago. It was said to be unbeatable against opponents of the same level and capable of killing those beyond one's rank.The Phantom Reaper technique could bypass physical defenses and protective barriers to deliver a deadly blow straight at the target's soul. Hence, it was impossible to withstand this attack without solid mental strength.At first, everything went as expected. After Jermaine unleashed the Phantom Reaper technique, he completely dominated the fight without allowing George to counterattack.But no one anticipated what happened next. One moment, Jermaine was confident and in control. The next, he was pierced through the heart and died on the spot.The entire sequence of events happened so quickly that the spectators could barely proc
The spectators erupted into chaos at the sight before them. They never expected George to be so ruthless.Despite winning the match, he proceeded to stomp on Jermaine's head. This act was not only brutal but also showed a complete disregard for humanity."Damn it! This Giant is out of control! He didn't even leave Jermaine's body intact. This is unacceptable.""I can't stand this. If Jermaine hadn't held back, this Giant would be dead already. How dare he flaunt his arrogance?""His ruthless behavior will catch up to him eventually."The spectators' anger boiled over as they shouted curses at George.Life and death were accepted as part of the match in the battle ring. Generally, everyone accepted that outcome without much protest.However, the martial world valued leaving room for future encounters. If there was no deep-seated grudge, it was considered appropriate to determine the victor without resorting to complete annihilation.George had killed Jermaine to win the match, a
Contestant number four, Titus McAllister, was a burly figure in a black tank top. His muscles were like chiseled stone. A vicious scar ran from the corner of his eye to his mouth. It added a menacing edge to his imposing presence.On the other side, contestant number 29 was a strikingly handsome young man named Aldrian Lockwood. He appeared to be in his 20s, with long flowing hair and an azure steel sword in his hand. He looked suave and sophisticated, like a leading man from a classic romance.As Aldrian made his entrance, many female spectators erupted into cheers. His popularity was evident from their enthusiastic reaction. He greeted each cheer with a smile, signing autographs and posing for photos. His presence felt more like a celebrity at a fan meeting than a contestant in the ring.Titus said nothing. He watched Aldrian with a calm, unflinching gaze.After a while, Oron grew impatient. He stopped Aldrian's endless fan interactions and called for the match to begin.The m
Titus didn't finish off Aldrian after knocking him out. Instead, he stepped back and looked at Oron.Oron nodded and quickly announced the match's result.The spectators erupted into applause. They had watched the fight closely and saw that Aldrian's arrogance had led to his defeat.Instead of focusing on the fight, he flirted with his fans, which left him vulnerable. So, Titus seized the opportunity with relentless aggression.With their skills evenly matched, gaining the upper hand increased the chances of winning. Titus' approach was fierce and relentless. He focused solely on delivering powerful punches without worrying about defense, energy consumption, or flashy moves.Aldrian was forced to retreat and couldn't find any opportunity to counterattack. By the time he realized his dire situation and tried to use his ultimate move despite his injuries, it was already too late to turn the tide.At that point, he lacked the momentum and fighting spirit. Although he managed to exec
"Cut the crap. If you've got guts, come at me." Dustin raised one hand and made a challenging gesture."You've got a death wish, kid!" Bill's anger flared instantly.Just as he was about to attack, he recalled something and stopped. He glanced at Oron warily and forcefully restrained his rage. In a fit of impulsiveness earlier, Bill had been blasted nearly to death by Oron's Stormcraft. Although he was now in the battle ring, Oron hadn't signaled the start of the match. If Bill acted rashly, it would only allow Oron a reason to intervene. He knew better than to mess with Oron again."What's the matter? Afraid to make a move? Is that all you've got?" Dustin scoffed."You—" Bill bared his fangs, and his chest heaved with fury. He was visibly furious and resolved to torture Dustin once the match began."Are you ready?" Oron looked at them with a blank expression."I'm ready," Dustin replied with a nod."Ready," Bill snarled, glaring fiercely at Dustin."Good. The eighth match
"Kid, I'm going to turn you into a puddle of blood." After the Crimson Skullhead devoured Dustin, Bill's triumphant laughter echoed through the venue. It filled the air with a chilling, lingering sound."Alicia, will Dr. Rhys be okay?" Aurora's face was tense with worry.Vampires' abilities were mysterious and fearsome, especially their scarlet mist that could corrode human flesh. It was deadlier than any divine weapon. Without strong cultivation, it was nearly impossible to fend off."Calm down. Let's see how this plays out. I don't think he'll go down that easily." Alicia frowned, and her expression turned grim. Despite her words, her tightly clenched fists betrayed her anxiety.Grace observed the anxious Marshall sisters with a smile and chose not to comment. Considering Dustin's strength, she believed that even someone like Bill or a vampire of earl status couldn't challenge him.On the other side, Dalen looked at the anxious Wesley sisters beside him with a faint smile. He li
With a resounding bang, the golden light erupted with a burst of terrifying energy wave. In an instant, the earth trembled, and fierce winds whipped through the air.Dustin and his sword were sent flying several yards. After landing, he stumbled back several steps before finally steadying himself.He looked up and saw that Abigail's body was now covered in a layer of golden armor, though he couldn't tell when it had happened. The armor glowed brightly, and it made her look imposing and striking.It was clearly a divine artifact.The Mystic Arts Order had been around for centuries, with deep roots and countless treasures. As the Grand Sorceress, Abigail would obviously have several divine artifacts for protection.Dustin wasn't surprised, but the armor's counterforce caught him off guard. Not only did it protect her, but it also had offensive capabilities.When his sword struck the armor earlier, the blow didn't leave a scratch. Instead, the armor absorbed the hit and sent the for
Dustin raised his hand as the black feathers rained down on him. A white energy shield flared into existence to form a wall before him.The feathers slammed into the shield and sent ripples across its surface but failed to break through. However, the black flames on the feathers spread across the shield and burned through its energy at a visible pace. In the blink of an eye, the once impenetrable barrier cracked open and left a gaping hole.Dustin couldn't hide his surprise. His mystical pure energy was far stronger than the average grandmaster's internal energy in offense and defense. It was meant to be impenetrable. He hadn't anticipated it couldn't hold up against Abigail's phoenix flame.Seeing the raw strength of her bloodline, he knew he couldn't afford to take any chances. As the black flames spread, he swiftly waved his hand to summon a furious gust of wind that sent the feathers and flames flying."Glaring Wings!" Abigail wasn't done yet. She quickly formed hand seals and
Abigail moved with lightning speed, and her figure weaved in and out like a shadow. Her swift movements left a blur of afterimages that was hard for anyone watching to keep up.On the contrary, Dustin stood still without making any movement."Fallen Fist!"After closing in, she unleashed a flurry of strikes—dozens of black palm shadows slamming toward his body, and each one was like a bullet aimed at its target.Abigail practiced a unique martial art, and it was imbued with voodoo-like properties that could kill anyone who made contact with her. But Dustin's body was immune to all poisons, so it was a perfect counter to her deadly attack.As the shadow palms closed in, he remained unshaken and thrust his palm forward.A fierce gust of wind surged and ripped through the air with unrelenting force. It collided with the black palm shadows.Abigail's black palm shadows exploded on impact and disintegrated into thick clouds of dark mist that quickly spread. Within moments, the mist e
The whole arena suddenly fell dead silent. Everyone stared blankly, and not a soul dared to breathe. Alloy shot to his feet in the main spectator seats, and his face was tense with worry. Yet, he didn't dare make a sound. He feared it might startle Glenn into making a mistake that could cost Fenley's life.After all, Fenley represented the future of the Celestial Alliance. Alloy had invested all his effort into Fenley, and he provided him with endless resources. If Fenley were to die in the match, it would deal a devastating blow to the entire guild.While Alloy was gripped with worry, Cyrus and Penelope cheered silently. They secretly hoped Glenn's sword would strike Fenley. If that happened, the Celestial Alliance would take at least a decade to regain its former glory.Fenley's body stiffened as he stared at the Fang Master hovering inches from him. A shiver ran through his spine as goosebumps prickled his skin. Sweat trickled down his face, and each drop hit the ground with a
"Glenn had only seven swords in the past. I didn't expect that in just one year, two more divine swords would recognize him as their master. This punk is much better than I was back then," Cyrus remarked. He stroked his chin with a look of surprise and approval. He had always believed in Glenn's potential, but Glenn's performance had still exceeded his expectations.After all, the more swords Glenn wielded, the stronger he became. He had already topped the Legendary List with just seven swords. Now, with nine, his strength had grown even more overwhelming."He truly is the Chosen One." Even Kaden couldn't help but sigh.The nine divine swords recognized their master and responded with ease. Glenn's talent and cultivation were leagues ahead of his peers.Every generation brought forth new talent, and the old had no choice but to step aside for the new generation. Compared to their time, today's youth were on another level—monsters in their own right."Now, this is going to be int
Compared to the second green sword, Glenn's third sword was even more powerful. As it descended, accompanied by the fury of a fire dragon, it carried the destructive force of a world-shattering storm.Fenley, whose energy flow was disrupted earlier, watched the fiery red long sword streak toward like a falling meteor. His heart raced and was gripped by a sudden sense of impending doom.With a roar, he risked the backlash effect and unleashed a powerful surge of internal energy. The ethereal divine spirit behind him instantly transformed into a figure with three heads and six arms. This was the complete form of the Four Elements of God's Technique.At that instant, he threw everything he had into the fight. He controlled the spirit to slam its giant arms into the flaming sword. With a loud explosion, the sword tore through the spirit's palms and continued its unyielding path toward Fenley. But its speed had slowed slightly.Without hesitation, he controlled the spirit to strike ag
When the spectators heard the match was about to begin, the excitement reached a fever pitch. Half of them cheered for Fenley while the other half chanted Glenn's name. Both were the Chosen Ones, and their popularity was undeniable. Everyone had been waiting for their face-off in the battle ring.Though Fenley ranked slightly below Glenn on the Legendary List, his fame and influence as the successor to the Celestial Alliance's guildmaster outshined Glenn's. Ultimately, the question of who was stronger could only be answered in the ring."I've been waiting for this day, Glenn." Fenley stared at him intently. His voice was powerful and commanding. He continued, "Others say I'm not your equal, but I refuse to believe it. Today, we'll find out whether your sword is faster or if my Four Elements of God's Technique is superior.""The moment you said that, you've already lost. Your doubt shows you lack the confidence to defeat me," Glenn replied calmly. If this were a fight-to-the-deat
After the quarterfinals, it was time for a break. With noon approaching, contestants and spectators needed food and water to recharge. An hour later, the venue was buzzing with excitement again as Oron stepped onto the battle ring. He was accompanied by a Sacred Wrym Summit disciple, who carried a black box filled with numbered balls."It's almost time. I'd like to invite the top four contestants to the ring to draw lots," Oron announced as he surveyed the crowd.Amidst a wave of enthusiastic applause, four figures ascended the battle ring one after another. First in line was Glenn, with Fenley right behind him, followed by Abigail and Dustin."Sir, we're in the semifinals. Good luck!" Abigail winked playfully at Dustin as she stepped into the ring."You too," he replied with a smile.Given Abigail's strength, her odds against Glenn were slim. However, if she faced Fenley, she would have a solid chance at victory.After all, Fenley had only just broken through to the ultimate g
"Who the heck is this kid?" Oron glanced at his trembling hands and felt a chill run down his spine. He failed to gain the upper hand in the earlier clash with Dustin and suffered an unexpected setback. He was already an ultimate grandmaster, with a cultivation and mastery of the Glow Incantation that surpassed Caleb's. By all accounts, subduing a younger opponent should have been a piece of cake.But that exchange just now had brought him to a stark realization—Dustin had been holding back this whole time and hadn't used his full strength. Otherwise, Caleb wouldn't have lasted this long.The realization unsettled Oron. There were always extraordinary talents out there, but the potential Dustin had displayed was genuinely terrifying. To put it plainly, he was a beast on the same level as Glenn."What happened? Why did the judge step in?""Can't you see? Caleb has already lost. If the judge hadn't stepped in, that sword would have killed him or left him severely injured.""Exactl